How do you act in the presence of the President of the United States? In the presence of the Queen of England? In the presence of judge who is about to sentence you? How do act in the presence of the family who has chased after you, supported you, and and encouraged you? How do you act in the presence of the friend who celebrates your accomplishments?

Jesus said that where two or more people are gathered in his name he is there with them (Matthew 18:20). When we gather to worship, we do not worship a God who is far off in the clouds. We worship a God who is in our midst. The King of all kings is present with us. How do we act? Let's just scratch the surface by looking at the songbook of the Bible... Psalms.

With Joy

Laughter & Fun (Psalm 126:1-3): Let laughter and joy be in worship. He restored us in Jesus. Celebrate that.

Pleasure (Psalm 16:11): There is eternal pleasure in his presence. Enjoy Him. Bring on a party.

With Honor

Reverence & Wonder (Psalm 89:5-8): Before the awesome Creator of the Universe, we show respect.

Humility (Psalm 5:5): We should not stand proud or arrogant before the Lord for anything we have done.

Fear & Judgment (Psalm 119:120): We know our failings before the Lord and see the Almighty Judge

Come before Jesus in worship with Joy & Honor. Most importantly, when you are in worship remember: God is here. Present. How will you act in HIS presence? Allow your response to come from that knowledge. And honor Him with joy in that time.

Let's be honest. Some of the Old Testament can be flat out boring. There are so many commands. Don't wear this. Don't eat that. There are so many numbers. There were this many in this tribe. There need to be this many stones here.

But ALL of it is God's Word. And as Paul reminded Timothy... All of scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching. (2 Timothy 3:16). In fact, at the time of these words, Paul specifically was speaking of the Old Testament. The New Testament was still being written!

I've been reading about the tabernacle in Exodus 25-31. At first glance it reads like a lot of commands and numbers. But it's so much more. As a worship pastor, the tabernacle interests me. It is the place where the ancient Hebrews led worship to God himself, much like I do. The tabernacle was God's "mishkan" (Hebrew for "dwelling place").

First, consider the materials that went into this structure. Gold (rare, precious metal). Acacia wood (extremely strong, durable). Bronze (firm, enduring). Twisted Linen (most highly prized cloth in antiquity). Blue, purple, and scarlet yarn (symbolic of heaven, royalty and sacrifice). What does all this signify? God is great. Greater than anything else of earth. Transcendent. We should value him highly.

Second, consider the care in separating the holy places from the unholy (common) places. God commanded that the curtains of blue, purple and scarlet separate these areas. Why? Because this physical separation symbolizes the moral perfection of God and the moral imperfection of his people. He is a perfect heavenly Father (blue) who rules with complete authority (purple) and demands sacrifice for sin (red). The clean and the unclean cannot mix.

Third, consider the form and nature of the tabernacle itself. It's portable! The entire structure was designed to be easily packed up, moved, and reset over and over again. This shows the desire of God to be with his people wherever they went. (This is why once they arrived "home" in Israel, they built a temple. They no longer needed to move about.)

But what does all this mean for me today? A few things actually! But to boil it all down, I'll give the Sunday School answer: Jesus.

I remember this passage: Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? (1 Corinthians 6:19) Today, because of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice to cover with his perfect blood ALL of my sins, I no longer need a tabernacle. I no longer need a temple. I am the tabernacle. I am the temple. God in the power of his Holy Spirit is already dwelling in me.

Yes, the tabernacle's materials were rare and precious. But I am far more rare and precious to the Father who loves me.

Yes, the tabernacle's separation of holy and unholy was needed for us unholy humans to be close to a holy God. But with Jesus I am no longer unholy, but holy, no longer separated with God.

Yes, the tabernacle's design was to be portable, so God could move with his people. But my body is portable. And God living in me goes wherever I go.

The tabernacle was created as place for God to dwell on this earth for his people to worship him. Today, I am a living tabernacle. I am precious living dwelling for a holy God, who goes wherever I go. I am a house of worship. I am God's dwelling.

Who will be our next president? I don't know. But I do know who will be my God. That is enough for me.

For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

We can all get wrapped up in what's happening in our country. We can worry about who the president will be. We can worry about where our country (or world) is headed. We can worry about the evil that has been and will be committed. We can worry about the effect on our children. The list can go on and on.

I have a choice. Let the worry of events I can't control drive me. Or let a faith and trust in the One True God move me.

I am doing my utmost not to be overly concerned with the things of the world. (But I am human, so it does creep in!) I'm trying to be more concerned about what will last for eternity. I'd like to focus less on the poor behaviors of people and more on the fact that they may not know Jesus. He is the true way of transformation. He is the One True God. He is the one who provides true life.

Jesus: I give my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one. (John 10:28-30)

worship Him 24/7...scott

PS - Ponder this as you listen to One True God by Steven Curtis Chapman and Chris Tomlin.

One True God lyrics

One voice in the darkA song that lights up the starsOne breath that gives lifeOne sovereign in powerWho speaks with thunder and fireOne Lord, one KingThere is no other that can compare to You

You areThe One alone in greatnessThe One who never changesJesus, You areThe One who rose in powerThe One who reigns foreverJesus, the One true God

One man on a crossOne light of the worldOne Name, one WordOne Way to be savedOne Lamb that was slainOne Love above allThere is no other that can compare to You

We have seen the glory ofThe One and only Son of GodYes, we have seen the gloryThe One and only Son of God

That's what happened to Moses and the Hebrews. God sent great miracles/plagues (depending on whose side you were on) to Egypt and the Hebrews were released from slavery. God was with the Hebrews! But as the Hebrews were marching out out of Egypt boldly, Pharaoh changed his mind and set out with his army to destroy the Hebrews.

The Hebrews were against the sea with fortifications on either side of them and Pharaoh's army coming at them on the fourth side. Surrounded. Then they cried out in fear and terror to Moses, "Why did you bring us here to our death?"

Marching through life with God in boldness to trembling in fear. Because the situation changed. That's me. Maybe that's you.

But God was still with them. He is still with me. He is still with you.

So why would God lead us boldly into trouble? Why did he do that to the Hebrews? The answer is found in Exodus 14:4. God said, "I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am God."

We often have difficult tasks set before us. We often feel we are marching boldly with God, being led by Him, and then BAM! He sent us straight into the corner. Surrounded. He is not doing it to hurt us. Quite to the contrary. He does it to refine us. And more importantly to make himself known. Just as he did with the Hebrews, refining their faith And with the Egyptians, making himself known.

It's not about us. It's about Him. It's entirely about Him. His glory.

And we have a choice. We can cry out in terror when we feel cornered and surrounded or we can continue in boldness through that difficult situation. Why? Because we know that our God is with us. And He is mighty. He is powerful. He is greater.

We find ourselves in that place now as Christians in the United States. The same place many thousands of Christians have found themselves in time and time again all over the world. Surrounded. Cornered. But we need not fear. Because we have an Almighty God! (Oh. And I'll let you in on a not-so-secret secret: No matter what happens... We win!)

Paul was once asked to give a "word of encouragement" to a gathering of people at a synagogue. What was his word of encouragement? He started with this reminder... "The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their staying Egypt, and with mighty power he led them out of that country." (Acts 13:17)

Stay bold. Even when surrounded. Not in yourself. In God. He is mighty.

The world had taken music and used it for it's purposes. Some good. Some bad. But now God's people are taking it back. Not for ourselves. For the One who created it. In worship.

Music has power. I believe that because I believe God created music. Because he created the human mind to process, enjoy, and learn from music. He created the mind to hear the exacting frequencies of music to mesh in a way that surpasses science to move the soul. No matter the culture... no matter the people... no matter the history. Music is universal. Because God gave it power.

Ancient Canaan. A band of castaways march around the city walls of Jericho blowing trumpets and the city's walls came tumbling down (Joshua 6:20). A humble king places a choir of singers in front of his army rather than best best troops and the enemy is crushed (2 Chronicles 20-22). A beaten and imprisoned rebel sings his devotion to God to find his shackles have been broken loose (Acts 16:25-26).

The power of music. The power of God.

Music Teaches. Nearly every child learns their alphabet through song. Music is used as a powerful memory tool for learning facts and figures. It is also used for teaching God's Word as music gets into the mind and soul and lyrics find repetition when set to song.

Music Brings Us Together. Songs have been used for years to bring people together. A powerful trait indeed. Patriotic songs unify those very different from each other. School alma maters energizes a group to unity before a big game. Every country has a national anthem which holds values of the homeland.

Music Remembers. Music has the power to take you back in time. A song reminds you of an event of old or a friend of long ago. Music can take you back to the memory of a wedding or a birth or a death. Songs provide nostalgia to Christmas and Easter and the Fourth of July and many other events throughout the year.

Music Emotes. Powerful emotions connect to songs for everyone. Whether a carol of Christmas or a ballad played as the wedding couple's first dance. Songs bring tears at funerals and rejoicing at concerts. Music brings the needed emotional element to most movies we watch without most people ever knowing it.

The power in music is deep and lasting. Far beyond the short list here. It has been used from the beginning of time to bring praise and worship to God the Father who created music. The very music he desires for us to use to worship him today will be brought into the infinite days of our future.

Use music to further your walk with God. Your devotion to God. Your knowledge of God. Your love of God. Because that is the power of music.

Have you ever glanced into the mirror (literally or figuratively) and wondered... how could anyone love me? I can't imagine there are many people who have not had that experience.

Let me assure you. You are loved. If no one on this earth loved you, you would still be loved an infinite amount. For that is the weight of God's love for you. If you were to boast in anything, boast in the fact that you have a great great God whose love for you will never end.

Great is your love. It is higher than the heavens and your faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Psalm 108:4)

Check out this tune from Gateway Worship!

Higher Than the Sky by Gateway Worship

CHORUSHigher than the skyYour love, Your love is deeper than the seaYour grace, Your grace is washing over meAnd calling me Your own, Your own

VERSE 1Your light, Your light is burning through the shadowsI see the truth, there is nothing to fearYour word, Your way, Your promise everlastingOver and over I see Your handVERSE 2Your name, Your name a tower in the battleYou are here, we have nothing to fearYour voice, Your voice my river in the desertOver and over I see Your handBRIDGEYou are who You say You areYou’ll do what You say You’ll doOur praise all belongs to YouYou died breaking every chainYou rose in glorious displayWe are alive forever changed

For some of us our dad was our hero. For others our dad was a taskmaster. For some our dad wasn't interested in us much. For others we never knew a dad.

For all of us, there is a perfect Father waiting for us.

God is good. That is who God is... good. Nothing wrong. Nothing impure. Nothing out of place. God is good. Perfect. And he loves us. Perfectly. Each of us. No matter what the scenario is with your earthly father. No matter how badly we think we've messed up. No matter how far away we think we are.

He is always waiting with open arms for us to run home to him.... the good Father.

You are loved by God. That's who you am... loved. It's your real identity. Not rejected. Not despised. Not ignored. And that will never change, because God is the one who is doing the loving. And God never changes. He defines you. Not the world around you. Even your earthly father. God's love defines you.

Don't make the mistake of living your life ruled by ghosts of your past... what people thought of you. Don't live your life persuaded by those in your present. Live your life surrendered always to the Father, your ONE true Father in heaven, who is your future. There can be no better guide or reason for life. He's a good Father.

God is a Good FatherFor you, Lord, are good. The Lord is good. So give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His love endured forever. You are good and you do what is good! The Lord is good to all. No one is good except God alone. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming from the Father. (Psalm 86:5; 100:5; 107:1; Psalm 119:68; Psalm 145:9; Mark 10:18; James 1:7)

You are LovedGod's loving kindness is good to you. God is merciful and gracious, abounding in steadfast love for you. The Lord God will quiet you with his love. God shows his love for you in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. Nothing will be able to separate you from His love. Because of His great love for you, he made you alive with Christ. Cast your anxieties on God, because he cares for you. For God so loved the world, He gave you his only son. (Psalm 69:16; 86:15; Zephaniah 3:17; Romans 5:8; Romans 8:39; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 Peter 5:6-7; John 3:16)

So many of us spend so much of our lives looking for love. Even when we think we've found it here on this earth, we eventually still continue looking for it. High divorce rates can attest to that. What so many don't realize is... the love your soul is truly looking for will never be found on this earth.

At least not in the way we look for it.

I have a beautiful wife and two great kids. I have a family who loves me. I have friends who love me. I have people in my life who would give much in their love for me. If you have this, never take it for granted. It is a gift. But remember... all of it can be fleeting. People come and go. People move. People pass away. But there is one who will always remain.

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Pour your heart, your love, into people. Yes. We are called to do that. But never forget that there is one whose love has always been offered to you and while you draw breath will always be offered to you. And it's a love that you can never be separated from. His love finds you. Right where you are. No matter where you are.

Jesus tells the story of a lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). When a sheep is lost, the shepherd does not give up on it. He goes after it. He searches. No matter what the journey takes. And when it is found he rejoices. We are that lost sheep. And God searches us out. His love finds us. Right where we are. No matter where we are.

God's love for you is vast. So vast he went on a journey of great cost to find you. He sent himself in his son Jesus to die for you. He went searching for you. No matter what the journey took.

His love is searching for you. Right where you are. No matter where you are.

worship him 24/7...scott

Love Has Found Us by Gateway

Where can we run?Where can we hide?Is there a place that we can goWhere you cannot find us?

You're there when we fallThere when we riseNothing is hidden from you faceYou know every breath we take

Your love has found usYour love has found usWe are yours foreverYour love has found usIt's all around usHolding us together

Nothing on earthAbove or belowNothing in all the universeCan take us from your love

You came to usMade us your ownYou have redeemed us from the fallYou paid the ransom once for all

We will sing because your love has found usEven in the darkest nightWe sing because your love has set us free

It feels good to get a love letter, doesn't it? I recently went on a trip out of country and while I was going through my things after arrival, I found she had left me a note. My bride left me a note of love. What an encouragement. A letter left with affection and care. It was great to be reminded that I was loved.

Some of you remember love letters. Some of you may not. But I'd like to let you know... You have all been given the greatest love letter ever written. I hope you've read it. It goes a little something like this...

My beloved, Nothing will be able to separate you from my love. Death won't. Life won't. No power on earth would. Nothing in all of creation will ever separate you from my love. I love you so much I'd give up my own blood to give you life. When I think of you I am filled with such joy and happiness. When you are upset my love will quiet you. I will sing you songs to praise who you are. And in your struggles you can lay all your anxieties upon me. When others see only the outward, the failings, I will always see the inward you, the beauty of your heart. Because I care for you. Because my love for you is deep. Even when you do me wrong, my love will be great for you and my grace will be sufficient for you. I will always be slow in anger and abounding in the most steadfast love and faithfulness to you. I will be strong when you are weak. I will love you with an everlasting love. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is my steadfast love for you. And I will forever continue in my faithfulness to you. So you can live in my love. You can rest in my love. If danger were to find you I would lay my life down for you. All my plans for you are good. Plans that give you a future and a hope. Just ask. And it will all be given to you, my beloved.Yours...

That would be quite a love letter. It would get my adrenaline going! And it does, because it's real. It's the letter God wrote to me. And to you. Except it's a lot longer. It's his entire Word... the Bible itself is God's letter of love to us. What you see above captures only a small piece of that great message of devotion and passion.

Have you read this letter? Do you go back to it again and again? Does it cause you to celebrate?

If we would do as much for an earthly love letter, how much more should we for the greatest of all love letters?

By doing a little research on the modern word for worship you'll discover that the word comes from the Old English word "weorthscipe" or "weoroscipe". This old world word referred to something that, or someone who, was in a condition of being worthy, honored, and renowned. Essentially, the word could be used regarding anything or anyone who had a condition of high worth and value. This word eventually became our modern word "worship".

Around the 13th century the word "worship" became regularly used in the English language to describe a sense of reverence which was paid to a divine being.

From the origin of the word "worship", we have a better understanding of what our modern word for worship truly means. Anything that I esteem highly and place a great worth upon is, in essence, being "worshiped" be me.

What do you value the most? What do you place the greatest worth upon? We often answer "God" or "family". Take a look at your calendar. Take a look at your finances. Is "God" or "family" represented in your calendar or finances as what you value most? If not, what is? Your job? Your hobby? Yourself? What do you truly place the greatest worth in day to day?

In Luke 12:34 Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Where do you place your treasures of time, money, and energy? Where you place these treasures you are declaring, "This is what is of greatest value to me. This is where I want my heart to be. This is what I worship." Look into your life and ask if you are "worth"shiping the wrong thing.

I will praise God in the storm. Whatever is thrown my way cannot stand against me because God is my refuge and strength. The Lord Almighty is with me. He is my fortress. I must be still and know he is God.

Sometimes when you don't know what words to pray, open up the psalms and find one to pray through that matches your mood and your situation. Then be still. Know that God is your rock. Your refuge. Your fortress. I this you will exalt him... worship him.

Read through this Psalm and make it your own personal prayer to your Refuge and Fortress.

worship Him 24/7...scott

1 God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give wayand the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foamand the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,the holy place where the Most High dwells.5 God is within her, she will not fall;God will help her at break of day.6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord Almighty is with us;the God of Jacob is our fortress.8 Come and see what the Lord has done,the desolations he has brought on the earth.9 He makes wars ceaseto the ends of the earth.He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;he burns the shields[d] with fire.10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth.”11 The Lord Almighty is with us;the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Sometimes you don't feel like worshiping. You know it's true. I know it's true. Because I feel the same way. Yup... the worship pastor sometimes feels the same way.

It can be for a variety of reasons. Perhaps a sin is festering inside of you. Perhaps you had a bad day. Perhaps, like me today, you're just not feeling very well and you'd rather go home and sleep. It happens.

Many times I have taught that we should not go through the motions of worship. God does not like dishonest worship (Matthew 15:7-8; John 4:24). Other times I have taught that we should worship regardless of how we feel, which is true considering that in all things we should be giving God glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). But let's face it... if our hearts are far from God and we are not supposed to go through the motions of worship, what do we do?

Wait.

I didn't mean to wait for the answer! I mean "wait" is the answer. In Psalm 40:2-3, David says that God lifted him from the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire and set his feet on a rock. God put a new song in David's mouth, a hymn of praise. There was a time when David was in the pit that worship was not for him. Then suddenly God lifts him up and puts a new song of worship in his mouth. A new heart for worship.

How?

The answer is found in the first verse of the same Psalm. David waited patiently for the Lord. Do you wait patiently for the Lord? This is not a passive waiting. The word wait in the Hebrew means an "eager looking" or a "lingering" for something. This is not a sitting on your backside and fiddling with your thumbs waiting. This is a waiting where you center your heart on God and eagerly linger in anticipation of his movement!

David did not go through the motions. And he did not walk away. He waited eagerly. And as David says in 40:1-3... God turned to him and heard his cry, lifting him out of the pit and putting a new heart in him to sing his praises.

Trust. It's actually rather hard to come by. Here are some stats from Franklin & Covey. In the past year 76% of employees have observed illegal or unethical conduct on the job. Only 36% of employees believe their leaders are honest. 77% of Americans lack trust in their leaders. Trust in the baby boomers was only 40%. Today trust in the millennials is a dismal 19%.

Those are sad statistics.

What is sadder is that our lack of trust for our leaders and particularly our parents, is effecting our trust of God. As humans who see and experience contact with leaders in the flesh, we project our image of these leaders onto our image of the One True Leader, our heavenly Parent: God himself.

Whether you are an unbeliever or a believer, I encourage you... You can trust in God. It's not a cliche on the dollar bill for nothing. He can be trusted. Far more than your boss or president or mom or dad.

Recently I had the privilege of moderating a panel at church regarding knowing God's will for you in your life. The church and I were greatly encouraged to hear time and again how the panel's lives were changed because they first trusted in God for whatever was to come. Not without doubt or struggle! But through the doubt and struggle, they trusted God and continued seeking their next step.

I want to encourage you with some verses which may help you in knowing you can trust God... the good and perfect Father.

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

2 Samuel 7:28 "O Sovereign lord, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised there good things to your servant."

God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24). There is bad fire. There is good fire. As a firefighter, my brother put out bad fires. Yet, all firefighters know, not all fire is bad. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to BBQ. So is God's fire good? Or bad?

The short answer: depends on your point of view. (Hmm... sounds like a line from Obi-wan Kenobi.)

The believer in Christ sees the Consuming Fire as good. A wonderful refining tool (Malachi 3:3). He burns away anything that is not glorifying to himself. Only the purest of gold and silver will remain in the furnace of the Consuming Fire. The believer wants to be refined. Craves the purity.

The non-believer in Christ sees the Consuming Fire as bad. A tool of destruction for a life of personal desires and greed. He burns away anything glorifying to the individual. The individual wanting to hold close all the impurities which they hold on to. The non-believer does not want refining. Craves themselves.

Hmm. It's like the Jedi and the Sith. Never heard of them? Really? Have you lived under a rock for 40 years? If you didn't know, the Jedi and Sith are from the Star Wars films. The Jedi act selflessly. The Sith act for themselves. If you're still lost you'll need about 14 hours of free time to catch up. Good luck. Moving on...

God, as Consuming Fire, refines our worship. The writer of Hebrews declares, "Let us offer acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:28-29). The Message puts it this way... Be not just thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until its all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

As you and I stand before God in worship, his refining hand is at work. Consuming Fire is burning away anything that is not glorifying to him. What is pleasing to him in worship? Hearts seeking him. Honestly. Fully. Surrendered.

It's not about "acting" a certain way. Its about "being" a certain way. When you dive into his presence and give him all you've got. That's reverent. Because that's what he wants. You. Surrendered self. In spirit and truth (John 4:24). That's what is acceptable.

The question is... Do you desire the Consuming Fire? Will you accept the pain it can cause for the everlasting value?

worship Him 24/7...scott

PS - Many believers debate over whether or not clapping, jumping, celebrating in worship is irreverent. If you are a reader of this blog you know where I stand. What do you think? Feel free to comment below!

Giving thanks cannot get old. Not when God, in his faithfulness, continually refreshes and renews us through his son Jesus! It drives worship which is fresh and renewed as well. Read the notes below on Psalm 100 and worship the Lord with gladness for what he has done.

Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth. (Be filled with joy... a truly contented heart for the peace Jesus provides in life.)

Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful song. (Allow the peace of Christ to put a smile on your face. Allow it to put a song in your heart. Be ecstatic for Jesus. Let others see it!)

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us and we are his, the people, the sheep of his pasture. (The Lord is God. Know it. Deep in your being. He is sovereign and in control. This fact is shown within his amazing creation. He made everything. He made you. Like a shepherd who loves and cares for each sheep under his care, God cares for you. He will look for you when you are lost. He will mend your hurts when you grieve. He will carry you when you are weary. There is no other pasture, no other place to find real comfort and rest other than in the arms of the one who has created you.)

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. (God wants you in his presence! He wants you to be near him and to be near you. So go find the gate. Find the ways best for you to be with God. And go with a thankfulness. Enter with the joy and praise his has given you. And in that praise, declare his name!)

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations. (God's love for you will never fade. Never falter. Never fail. It will remain forever. As a good good father he will always want what is good for you. His faithfulness in your best will always be true. You never have to look over your shoulder to see if he is there. He will be. You don't have to wonder if he will be with your children or your loved ones. He will be.)

For months I have had this song on my desktop. Yes, perhaps the day would come when I would use it in worship corporately. But sometimes you just need to let a song live in you for a bit. Such is true with me and this song.

It speaks simple truths of scripture. God is good. That is who God is... good. Nothing wrong. Nothing impure. Nothing out of place. God is good. This is usually the easy truth to accept. The text is usually the haard truth to accept. I am loved. That's who I am... loved. It's my identity. Not rejected. Not despised. Not ignored. Not who the world wants me to be or how the world treats me. I am loved. And that will never change, because God is the one who is doing the loving. He defines me. His love defines me.

I'd often turn on this song when I needed that reminder. Now I'm looking forward to sharing not only the song with the church. I'm looking forward to sharing God's heart for me and my heart for him through this song. That's what leading worship should be about.

God is a Good FatherFor you, Lord, are good. The Lord is good. So give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His love endured forever. You are good and you do what is good! The Lord is good to all. No one is good except God alone. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming from the Father. (Psalm 86:5; 100:5; 107:1; Psalm 119:68; Psalm 145:9; Mark 10:18; James 1:7)

You are LovedGod's loving kindness is good to you. God is merciful and gracious, abounding in steadfast love for you. The Lord God will quiet you with his love. God shows his love for you in that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. Nothing will be able to separate you from His love. Because of His great love for you, he made you alive with Christ. Cast your anxieties on God, because he cares for you. For God so loved the world, He gave you his only son. (Psalm 69:16; 86:15; Zephaniah 3:17; Romans 5:8; Romans 8:39; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 Peter 5:6-7; John 3:16)

Good Good Father (lyrics)

I've heard a thousand stories of what they think You're likeBut I've heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of nightYou tell me that You're pleased and that I'm never alone

You're a good good father, it's who you areIt's who you are, its who you areAnd I'm love by you, it's who I amIt's who I am, it's who I am

I've seen many searching for answers far and wideBut I know we're all searching for answers only you can provide'Cause you know just what we need before we say a word

You are perfect in all of you waysYou are perfect in all of your waysYou are perfect in all of your way to us

Love so undeniable I can hardly speakPeace so unexplainable I can hardly thinkAs you call me deeper still, as you call me deeper stillAs you call me deeper still, into love love love

In the last post we introduced the fact that we have often missed the connective tissue that Jesus weaves through the well known passage of scripture called The Beatitudes. What is that? An unseen beatitude...

Blessed are those who live through the cycle of the Christian life.

Check out the last post to catch up. Once a person journeys through the cycle of sin and brokenness to healing and righteousness in beatitudes one through four, Jesus describes what the Christian life looks like moving forward. We continue here with blessing number five below.

Verse 7. Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.We can only be truly merciful and gracious to others when we first understand true grace. And that grace has a name: Jesus. God in his infinite love for all people (John 3:16) gave his son Jesus as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could stand in righteousness before him. That is an incredible gift of mercy. We did not deserve it. Yet he loved us all so much to offer it. Once we know that mercy and grace, we must pass it on. In our Christian walk, we experience God's mercy. God extends us mercy. So we must extend it to others. Be merciful to others. Be gracious to others. Love them. Love them in a way which reflects the Father's great love for you.

Verse 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.Clean. Unstained. Pure. Guiltless. Innocent. Upright. Perfect. Do you call yourself these things? Because that's what it means to be "pure in heart". And the pure in heart are the ones who will see God. Herein lies a perceived problem with beatitudes five through eight. We often look at them and believe we are not accomplishing them, so we may not be blessed. We will discuss that in our next post. But for now consider it this way... The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and your surrendering your life to him makes you pure. If you accepted him as savior, then you do and will see God. Jesus tells us in this verse that as believers in him, we must strive to live in righteousness. We must do our utmost to stay away from sinning. He knows we will fail at times. The good news is that good old phrase... once saved, always saved. Jesus' blood will never stop covering your sins once it has started!

Verse 9. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will see God. This is not your "flower power stop the wars" kind of peace. The Greek word here refers to a "wholeness". It's a complete wholeness. No gaps. No cracks. Jesus is saying that there is blessing for those who bring wholeness to others' lives. How can you bring wholeness to someone's life? When in doubt what do the little kids shout? JESUS! The peacemaker is someone who carries the good news of Jesus Christ to those who do not believe. The peacemaker is living to declare the name of Jesus!

Verse 10. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of God.Once a person has come to Jesus as savior and found salvation, they begin living the Christian life. One which strives for mercy and purity. One which claims the name of Jesus and shares Jesus with others. Sharing Jesus with others WILL bring persecution. Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:12 that all who live a godly life in Jesus will be persecuted. Here in the beatitudes, Jesus goes on to say that people will insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all manner of evil towards you because of his name (Matthew 5:11). Living your life for Jesus means persecution. Righteousness means suffering. Bummer. But...

Jesus says that GREAT is our reward in heaven (Matthew 5:12). He knows. He's been there. The reward of heaven far outweighs any persecution or suffering!

For me worshiping God and praising my savior Jesus in heaven for an eternity is quite a reward!

Extermination of Jews and undesirables is acceptable. Encourage deceit and conspiracy. Make it the bedrock of a nation. Make it the foundation of your history. Sound good to you?

I once read a book called the Fatherland by Robert Harris. The book is set 20 years after World War II ended. The twist? The D-Day invasion failed, the Nazis cemented control of most of Europe, part of Russia and even half of Africa. Hitler is still alive. The travesties that happened during the war were covered up and the world did not know the truth of what happened. It was a fascinating look at how we view history.

History in our world is usually written by the victor. Had the Nazis actually won the war, their view would be looked upon rather differently in Germany than it is today. Had the Greeks or Romans not conquered most of the world, much of our history in antiquity would change. Who is the good guy? Who is the bad guy? It can depends on your own point of view.

I am grateful that I don't have to rely on my own point of view where eternity is concerned. Why? Two reasons.

1. It's HIS story.

None of this life is about me. It's about God. I've thought it interesting that the word "history" comes from a word that means "wise, learned man". Ultimately God is the wisest of any being. All of what has been, is, and ever will be, God already knows. He has created us to bring him glory. That's why were were created and made (Isaiah 43:7). I was made not for my own purposes, my own story. I was made for HIS story. It's all about him.

2. Because history has already been written.

I am grateful for the many promises of the prophets and the realization of their words in the book of Revelation. We have worries in this world, yes. But too often we are so close to the trees, we forget to see the forest. Let the economy crash. Let the nations war. Let the godless have their day. Bottom line: God wins. Which means I win. It's already done. It's all in HIS story. The church (I and every believer on the planet) has already won. Jesus will return. Satan will be crushed. It's as good as done. (Revelation 20-22)

We are all living in HIStory. Not ours. I often catch myself asking God to join me where I am. Us worship leaders do that a lot. "God, be with us today as we worship." "Join us here, Lord." I'd much rather say, "Father, can we join you in what you're doing?" In the end, it's God's point of view on history and eternity that matters. Not mine.

PS - For the record, I do not condone an uncaring attitude of Christians to the world's status. However, only in light of what God has already accomplished and commanded can we make any change. Only with God can we really show love, mercy and justice. Only with God can we reach the world for Christ, so everyone can enter into HIStory!

At the end of Return of the King, the final chapter of The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn becomes king. Over many years he had lived with the reluctant expectation that one day that he would be king. All this knowing that Denathor, who selfishly enjoyed the praise of the people, was sitting in his rightful place. After Denathor's death, Aragorn finally assumes the throne. And one of his first acts as king is to bow to someone else.

I usually tear up during that part of the movie. Yes, I'm emotional in general. But it's moving to me! How often do we fight for status or position or recognition? When we get it do we use it well? Do we use it to point to something greater to ourselves or just back at us?

King David's son Solomon had that choice to make. David is now gone and Solomon is king. He builds a great temple. Not for himself. But to one greater. When the Lord's temple is completed Solomon has a platform built for a specific purpose.

The Solomon stood before the temple of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Now he had made a platform 7 1/2 feet long, 7 1/2 feet wide, and 4 1/2 feet high, and had it placed in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread his hands toward heaven. 2 Chronicles 6:12-13

Solomon does not build this platform in order to gain status. He already has it. He doesn't build the platform to gain recognition. He already has it. He builds the platform to make a point. To show an example. Solomon built the platform so that everyone can see him bowing before God. So that people understand that he, Solomon, is not in control. God is. He bows before God to show the people who is greater. It is his example.

As a worship leader, I sometimes have wondered (and have been asked) why we have platforms or stages. There are the practical reasons, of course. So people can see, etc. But the real reason is to show an example. Just like Solomon. Worship leaders beware... the platform is not for you. It is not to gain status. It is not to gain recognition. It is to show an example and point others to one who is greater. Just like Solomon.

We all have days where praise comes our way. Don't enjoy it too much. Don't be Denathor. Be like Solomon. Be like Aragorn. When it comes, be gracious. Be thankful. And point back to the one greater than yourself.

In all honesty I've never not known about God. However, I have not always known God. I'm not making much sense, am I?

There is a difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing someone. You can know about that cute girl that sits on the other side of the class in college. You can know her name. You might even have a conversation with her here and there. That does not mean you know her. Such is like how I knew a girl in a college class. Now years later I can say I actually do know her. I know why she does what she does and why she reacts the way she reacts. Not all the time! Trust me! There are times she is still a mystery to me. And the mystery is part of the fun of knowing her.

Knowing God is a little like that. I grew up always hearing and knowing about God. I even talked to him. But I didn't really know him. It wasn't until I committed to him (like I committed to that girl in my college class) that I really got to know him. There are still times when he is a mystery to me. But that's part of the fun of knowing him.

In Acts 17:23 Paul was in Athens, the center of Greece and also of Greek religious belief. It is said that there were more statues of gods in Athens than there were in all of Greece put together! In his visit he came across something odd.

Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an alter with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD."

I have always marveled that the vast majority of people who are not followers of Christ are actually not atheists. They are agnostic. Just like these people in Athens so many years ago, the vast majority of people believe there is a "god". They just don't know who that god is. He is unknown to them. So deep down they don't want to offend this "god" so they metaphorically put up a stone alter in their life to this "unknown god".

What I marvel at more is that they settle for not knowing. They settle for this alter. Consider... if there actually is a "god" and he's responsible for all of creation, and your very life, wouldn't you think his importance to you should pale in comparison to anything else you've got going on? Wouldn't you take the time to figure out who that was?

Paul pointed out who this unknown God was. The God who made the world and everything in it. The God who sent his own son to die for all of us. That's the God I know. And I actually know him. Not know "about" him. I know him. And what does knowing him cause me to do? Worship him. Give worth to him. Drop what I'm doing for him. To give attention to him. Because everything else pales in comparison.

worship Him 24/7...scott

Check out this video below from Arundel Christian Church if you do not follow Chirst. It might make you think about this "unknown god."